Sour Cream and Butterfingers

Well, today is Tuesday I think. Seems like I have been in one long drug-induced slumber for a while now. I have three different bottles of meds for nausea and one cream that can be topically applied at the wrist. Most all of these have sedation as a side effect. I lost track a long time ago of which ones I was taking when. If I woke up and still felt nauseated I found one of the bottles and took one. I did feel nauseated most of the day monday and I ate at least half a box of saltine cracker when I was conscious. Nothing tastes the same. They told me that my taste buds would be one of the first things to go. Chemo kills rapidly growing cells including your taste buds. They also told me to prepare myself for mouth sores, anal sores, and vaginal sores. Sounds delightful.

It is about 3p.m. right now and all is quiet in the house. I just got through eating a bowl of Lays sour cream and onion chips and I am working my way to these bite-sized butterfinger candy bars. I think because the taste buds are shot, the stronger the taste the better. Well the Neulasta shot I would say was somewhat of a success for me. I did feel a little achy like the flu, but it was mild and short-lived. I did run a little fever of about 99.5 but all in all I think it made me feel a little less wiped out.

So I am in my bed eating butterfingers waiting on my kids and husband to come home. I have been sleeping on this wedge thing for almost a month now. It keeps me propped up nicely and doesn't allow me to stretch out the incisions too much. I am beginning to think that I may never be able to sleep without it. My dear friend Ferda Coffey brought it to me before my surgery from the medical supply store. She is from Turkey, a really nice lady. She was laid off from Justin boots about a year ago. Then, in September she was diagnosed with stage II breast cancer. I remember her coming in to the salon to get me to shave her head. She was to have started chemo that week. She too had a double mastectomy and she endured chemo and is in the middle of dealing with reconstruction. We text each other all the time. I remember texting her and telling here I guess it was "my turn now" because I had breast cancer too! It seems that it is everywhere.

Another dear friend of mine is Patsy. Patsy is my rock. She is a wonderful lady in her 70's. She is a client, friend, and an adopted mother to me. She adopted me along time ago, probably back in 1999 when I was going through my divorce. I have done her hair every Friday for years now. Just shampoo it , blow dry it, curl it, and waal-lah!! She is beautiful and hip. Her hair takes me maybe 25-30 minutes but I always book her for a two hour slot. We always sit out back behind the salon and drink coffee and talk about our week. We watch the sun beam out above us and listen to all the little birds waking up. The roof of the shopping center is flat. So there are drainage openings every so many feet sticking out of the top of the building. If you are looking you will notice that every one has a bird's nest in it.....along with its own bird family. They look like little skyrise apartments up there. They are all singing and telling the story of the day. And below....well it is Patsy and I....telling our stories, drinking coffee, and sharing. Sometimes with laughter and sometimes with tears. Patsy, you see, is a breast cancer survivor herself.....as well as her daughter, Dabney. Every year we celebrate Patsy being cancer-free one more year. She survived this awful disease while she was taking care of Paul, her late husband. They were so in love. She still misses him and I know she will be crying just reading this. Why is she my adopted mom? Well, my mother has suffered from various mental illnesses for years now. She is currently in an alzheimers lock-down facility. She is doing well and I am glad. So Patsy kind of adopted me....she is MAD my adoped mother. I sign all my emails to her as YAD your adopted daughter.

Since I married Kevin, I now have two mother figures in my life. Kevin's mom, Ellie, has taken on the roll of my family mom. She loves me like a daughter, and I love her as well. She would do anything for us and she is always there for Kevin, I, and the girls. She has transported me to and from doctors offices, cooked for us, and helped us out in so many other ways. I am enjoying getting closer to her, getting to know her on a deeper level. She is a brilliant woman, a published author. She fought many battles of her own. If you ever want a good book to read "THE RAIN STOPS IN TEXAS" by Ellie Kamran Belfilgio It is her life story. Kevin's too. It is about what all they had to go through to get here. It is an amazing story and she is an amazing woman. I am pretty sure I have seen the book on Amazon.

Well, my sweet Presley just came in from school. She is an angel, She will be 13 soon, and is the most caring little girl you could ever dream of. She came skipping into my room asking me "how are you today, mommy?" ....."have you had lunch, do you need anything?"....."how about a birthday cake icecream sandwhich?". I agreed and she went and got us two out of the freezer. So she sat on the bed with me and we both ate the icecream sandwhiches that taste just like a birthday cake.

Now I am loaded up on sugar and salt awaiting the rest of the crew. Landri is always in some type of sports practice ....volleyball, basketball, track relays, disc, and now softball. Kevin, my hubby should be home soon. He has worked for Park Place Lexus in Grapevine for almost five years in sales. He has 17 years in the industry, and he is excellent with his clients. Thank God for his job now. He has always worked on straight commission and done pretty well. Although the economy has been tough the past couple of years in the car business. I guess it is time to see what a one income family can acheive. Nevertheless, the health insurance alone is saving our butts and God has always been faithful to all of our needs. It is time now to help with some homework. Until next time...